WWT ROUND TABLE 2009
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and sensible measures to safeguard both There are some interesting publications
“There is less water per
the environment and resources to the and documents available and perhaps the
benefit of future generations. I think we all most recent one is the EA’s Water Resources
person across much of
know the adage that we did not inherit the Strategy, which I think provides quite a
Earth, but we are safeguarding it for our platform for the discussion today. Perhaps I England and Wales than
children. could ask Ian to spell out where you think
In considering the question about how we are from the Environment Agency’s
in many Mediterranean
water companies can deliver a sustainable point of view, to get the discussion
water strategy that engages customers, underway.
countries”
perhaps we should remember just how that
challenge is seen from a customer’s point of Ian Barker Just over a month ago, the The second pressure concerns climate
view. I have to say that I find it difficult, Environment Agency published a new Water change impact. One of the things we did
when reading the facts, to realise that I, as Resources Strategy for England and Wales, was to assess the potential impact of climate
an average customer, use 148 litres (260 which looks ahead to the 2050s. As we change on river flows. Although that upheld
pints) of water a day – although I can’t for were assessing the current state of water some of the received wisdom around
the life of me think where it actually goes. resources and the future pressures on them, climate change, which is that we will see
That is a tonne of water a week. That must we started to take a view in terms of wetter winters and drier summers and so,
be the view of most individuals, that it is whether the way we currently manage, plan surely, it will all even out and be alright, what
difficult to identify that. Once again, I think and invest around water will be fit for we actually found was that although, yes,
most people still think that the industry uses purpose in the future. We quite quickly winters are likely to be wetter, the winter
most of it through leakage and bad came to the view that in some ways it is period for refilling reservoirs and re-charging
management of the network itself. barely fit for purpose today and, certainly, it ground water will be shorter. The summer
In preparation for today, some of the is unlikely to be sustainable in the long period, when evaporation will be higher and
supplementary issues have been identified term. rainfall will be less, will be significantly
and shared with you. The reasons for that are primarily twofold. prolonged and so the net effect would be a
■ What does a sustainable water strategy The first is about the pressures that we are 10-15% average reduction in water
need to encompass? putting on water resources across England resources across England and Wales. We
■ What are the implications of the visions of and Wales. It is becoming a much more may see a reduction in average summer
a sustainable water strategy for water well-known fact now that there is less water river flows of between 50 and 80%.
company customers? per person across much of England and Although 2050 seems a long way away,
■ Where do the responsibilities lie in terms Wales than in many Mediterranean in water company planning and investment
of bringing such a strategy into being? countries. With population increases and terms it is pretty much tomorrow. The
■ If there really is a cost burden of a what would otherwise be unconstrained investment decisions that we make today
sustainable water strategy – and perhaps demand, we will make more and more will still be around in 50 or 100 years’ time,
we can explore that question a little – draw upon an increasingly scarce and just as we rely heavily upon the legacy of
how should that be borne? uncertain resource. That is the first pressure. the Victorians. The context is associated with
6 Round Table June 2009